When Life Throws Lemons: Navigating Layoffs with Resilience
Three Friends Laid Off, Three Different Paths, Three Success Stories
Hey, Prasad here 👋 I’m the voice behind the weekly newsletter “Big Tech Careers.”
In this week’s article, I share how to navigate layoffs that are becoming increasingly common these days.
If you like the article, click the ❤️ icon. That helps me know you enjoy reading my content.
It’s been a difficult week. Amazon announced another round of workforce reductions as part of ongoing organizational changes aimed at reducing layers and increasing ownership. For those of us who work here, watching colleagues receive this news is never easy. For those directly impacted, it feels devastating.
Layoffs are unpalatable. There’s no sugarcoating it. The moment you receive that news, it feels like the ground has shifted beneath your feet. But here’s what I’ve learned from watching Amazon colleagues navigate this challenging experience through previous layoff rounds: it’s not the end of the world. In fact, sometimes it’s the beginning of something better.
My First Encounter with Layoffs
The first time layoffs hit close to home was in 2022. A colleague in the exact same role and position as mine was let go. I remember the shock, the uncertainty, and that nagging thought: “Could I be next?” But when I caught up with him a few months later, I was surprised. He was thriving at another company, leveraging the prestige of having worked at Amazon, and he’d received a solid severance package that gave him breathing room during the transition.
That moment taught me something important: layoffs, while painful, aren’t always career killers.
Three Friends, Three Different Paths, Three Success Stories
In a subsequent layoff round, three friends from the same team were impacted. What happened next showed me that there’s no single “right way” to handle this situation—but there are many paths to landing on your feet.
Friend #1: The Internal Navigator
This friend immediately began searching for roles within the company. Before the official separation date arrived, they had secured an internal transfer. No gap in employment, no disruption in benefits, and they brought valuable experience to a new team that needed their skills. The key here was speed and being proactive. They didn’t wait for opportunities to come to them. They reached out to hiring managers, leveraged internal connections, and made it clear they wanted to stay.
Friend #2: The Entrepreneur
Another friend took the severance package and left the company. But instead of immediately jumping back into the corporate world, they launched their own training and consulting business. Today, they’re doing pretty well, working with clients on their own terms, and building something they’re genuinely passionate about. The corporate experience gave them credibility, the severance gave them runway, and they used both to bet on themselves. They’ve told me that while the income isn’t as predictable as a corporate salary, the autonomy and flexibility have been life-changing.
Friend #3: The Boomerang
The third friend took the severance and started interviewing including the same company that had just laid them off. Within a couple of months, they were hired back into a different team. When I caught up with them, they couldn’t contain their excitement: “It couldn’t have worked out better.” They received the severance package, then secured a joining bonus upon return, and negotiated an extra $10K in base salary. A true win-win situation. This might sound unusual, but it happens more often than you’d think. Companies that announce layoffs are constantly hiring for other roles that match specific skill sets, and sometimes the timing just works out in your favor.
The Six-Month Rule
Here’s the pattern I’ve observed: everyone I know who was laid off ended up in an equal or better position within six months. Not immediately but within six months. That’s the key insight here. The path isn’t always linear, and the first few weeks or months can be genuinely difficult. But patience and calm thinking make all the difference.
However, I need to acknowledge a critical exception: for those on work visas, six months is a timeframe you don’t have. If you’re on an H-1B or other work visa, you typically have 60 days to find new employment or change your status. This compressed timeline makes everything exponentially more stressful and difficult. The strategies I’m sharing still apply, but the urgency is dramatically different. You need to activate your network immediately, start interviewing on day one, and consider every option including internal transfers if you’re still within the company, roles at other companies, and even consulting with immigration attorneys about your options.
The reality is that for visa holders, layoffs aren’t just about career disruption, they’re about potentially uprooting your entire life. If you’re in this situation, don’t wait. Reach out to everyone you know today.
When the Stakes Are Higher
Beyond visa situations, I want to acknowledge that not everyone’s circumstances are the same. For those supporting families, managing health conditions that require specific insurance, or dealing with other complex life situations, layoffs can feel exponentially more stressful. The financial pressure is real, and the uncertainty can be overwhelming.
This is precisely when you need to activate your network. Reach out to former colleagues, mentors, industry connections, and friends. People want to help. They often just don’t know you need it until you ask. Update your LinkedIn profile, let people know you’re open to opportunities, and don’t be shy about having conversations. Your network is one of your most valuable assets during this time.
Making Lemonade: Practical Steps Forward
When life throws lemons at you in the form of a layoff, here’s how to start making lemonade:
Take a breath (but be realistic about your timeline). Give yourself permission to feel disappointed or angry, but don’t let those emotions drive your decisions. If you’re on a visa, you need to move quickly, but you still need to think clearly.
Assess your options immediately. Like my three friends, there are multiple paths forward: internal transfers (search internal job portal immediately), new companies, entrepreneurship, or even taking time to upskill. For those with visa constraints, prioritize options that can move quickly.
Leverage what you have. Your experience and skills on your resume are valuable. A severance package provides runway. Use these advantages strategically. When interviewing, you can honestly say you were part of a broader organizational restructuring and it is widely understood in the tech industry.
Activate your network today. Reach out, have coffee chats (virtual or in-person), let people know what you’re looking for. Most opportunities come through connections, not job boards. Be specific about what you want and what your timeline is.
Remember the timeline (adjusted for your situation). For those without visa constraints, six months is a reasonable window to land on your feet. Don’t panic if it doesn’t happen in six days. For visa holders, operate with intense urgency while staying strategic about the roles you pursue.
Take care of yourself. Job searching while processing the emotional impact of a layoff is exhausting. Make sure you’re eating well, sleeping enough, and not isolating yourself. This is a marathon (or sprint, depending on your visa situation), not a moment.
Final Thoughts
This week has been difficult for many Amazonians. Watching colleagues receive layoff news, processing the uncertainty, and wondering what comes next, it’s all genuinely hard. But I’ve shared these stories because I want you to know: people get through this. They not only survive, they often thrive.
Layoffs are disruptive, stressful, and often feel deeply unfair. But they’re also becoming increasingly common in our industry, and they don’t define your worth or your future. Every person I’ve watched go through previous rounds has come out the other side often in a better place than where they started.
So if you’re facing a layoff this week, or worried you might be in future rounds, remember this: it’s not the end of the world. It’s a difficult chapter, yes, but it’s just one chapter. The story continues, and you have more control over the next chapter than you might think right now.
Stay patient. Think calmly. Lean on others. And start making that lemonade.
To my colleagues who were impacted this week: you are talented, you are resilient, and you will get through this. Reach out. We’re here.
Enjoyed reading the article? You might also enjoy the most popular posts from Big Tech Careers:
Behavioral Interview Question Bank Categorized into 8 Themes
You’re Doing STAR Format Answers Wrong. Here’s How to Do It the Right Way
When you are ready, here is how can I help you:
1:1 long term career coaching to help fast track your career growth at Big Tech
Behavioral Interview preparation course for MAANG+ companies
Mock interview for your upcoming interviews
For more details, send email at info@bigtechcareers.com
Great advice!
I really love this Prasad! This perspective is really helpful considering all the negativity and fear that I have seen on LinkedIn! Thanks for the refreshing!